2 questions regarding food and subtrate

[El Duque]

Hello could someone tell me how to feed my axys frozen brine shrimp shouldi just drop the tablet into the tank and wait for it to disperse?

i use sand as substrate when i syphon to clean the tank i get more sand then waste is there a easy technique to clean sand bottom tanks?

thankyou

[El Duque]

ok well i soaked the brine shrimp for a few minutes and dropped it infront of them not even a flinch

[Eric]

Some Axolotls won't eat immediately. I have used frozen blood worms, and when I did, the blood worms would sit for a while before the Axies became interested. Brine shirmp are not suitable food for Axolotls however, and are essentially void of all nutrition an axolotl needs. As for the substrate, sand is great, and an easy way to clean it with a siphon is to hover above the waste so only it is sucked up. You can also use a turkey baster to suck up pieces of waste with more accuracy.

[El Duque]

i have only had them 5 days so i'm not sure of there eating habbits on there first 2 days i gave them cut up earthworms my white was the only one who attempted to eat but it looked as though he/she either`couldt swallow or didnt like taste and spat out, i cut the worms to as small as i could i cant get supplies like bloodworms for two days and in the mean time i have been feeding prawns every night they seem to eat every other day today one at 2 bites, the other bit the meat if i dropped it near her but always spat it out.

am i just over feeding? i know prawns shouldnt be there staple diet and they wont be.

[Eric]

How old are they?

[El Duque]

im not sure because i knew more about axolotl then the clown at the pet shop,

there are both about 6 inches but both have dark finger tips which i believe means they are sexually mature and they both have the same size rounded quiet small swell behind there legs so i think they are female, however my white is more rounded in the face and slimmer and more rounded in the body and my white albino has a longer slimmer face but a larger fatter body so im not sure if they are the same sex.

to answer your question from what i think i understand i would say 6-12 months but i have no experience i will post pics when i get my g/f cam tomorrow

like i say i am a beginner but i have a fair knowledge on them but absolutly no practical experience im just trying to make there life perfect they were kept in a bare 12by12 tank in the store with 8 in there im very worried for the first few weeks, i think im doing too much water changes. feeding and cleaning etc and i scare them most times in doing so.

they are always smiling though

[melfly]

Hi Tom
Once again your juvies are too young to sex.
Its not really worth guessing etc.

Best food for them at that ages is bitesized earthworm, soak them in water for a couple of mins first to get rid of any nasty taste.
Live bloodworms are fine too for that age.

Brineshrimp are ok as a bit of variety, but i would only probably use live ones.
Baby brine shrimp which new babies eat are full of good stuff...but yours wont touch these your axies are too big for them,

You dont need to clean as such just syphon up poo with a turkey baster.
And you only need 20% daily water changes til your tank cycles

[El Duque]

will get bloodworms saturday as i said and will try earthworms again. thankyou every one for the great advice like i say am apprehensive and i have already fallen in love with my guys

i read that black/dark finger tips indicates sexual maturity is this wrong or do they start this stage before they can be defined

im sorry if all my constant posting is annoying anyone i know i can ramble im sure you all remember your first week!!!

[El Duque]

Oops I just measured them and I had been estimating before. They are only actually just over 4 inches, but they are nearly exactly the same length. I think they are a lot younger then I thought.

[Eric]

Yeah..if you are including the tail in your measurements...4 inches is just a few months old. I fed my Axies bloodworms when they were that small, but as Mel said...chopped earthworms is great too!

[El Duque]

I am glad this explains their occasional trouble swallowing and why neither will hunt.